Maryland capitalizes on Syracuse miscues, beats Orange 34-20

Maryland’s C.J. Brown passes in the third quarter of the NCAA college football game against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. Maryland won 34-20. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) (The Associated Press)

Maryland’s Marcus Leak signals for the first down after making a catch in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Syracuse at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi) (The Associated Press)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – C.J. Brown threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, cornerback William Lively returned an interception 88 yards for another score, and Maryland beat mistake-prone Syracuse 34-20 on Saturday.

Lively, who forced a fumble, had an interception, and returned a punt for a touchdown against West Virginia last week, intercepted a Terrel Hunt pass at the Maryland 12 and raced down the right sideline for a score with 3:37 to go in the first half, giving Maryland a commanding 31-13 lead.

Maryland (3-1), which entered the game averaging 37.7 points per game, the highest in school history, almost scored its average in the first half en route to its 18-point lead at intermission.

After the Orange (2-1) took a 3-0 lead on a 35-yard field goal by Ryan Norton, Maryland went to work.